Convention 2008
 

Put me in the category of wants to go but can't. I have three weddings this spring. Two are sisters! All my funds are going to the wedding gifts and travel.

Darn. It would have been great to see & meet you in person but with all those financial obligations, they have to come first.


I have been playing around on the site and coming up with different pricing options. Another alumna has a home near the resort (about 20 minutes away) and she offered to let me stay with her to save some money. I like this idea but I also like the idea of staying at the resort with everyone else and being at the heart of the action. I'll have to think about it. Also, would I want a room of my own or share with up to 3 other people. The more people share your room, the less expensive it is but I think I would feel boxed in with that many people. It would be like living in the sorority house again. ;)

I'm analyzing my finances to figure out if I can afford to go. I want to quit my job and start looking for a new one so I have to take that into consideration too.

Of course, who doesn't want to go to Convention! I'm going to try to go, but I have to figure out the finances first.

I think finances are the big sticking point for many of us. We want to go but have to figure out the $$$ first.

Any place that has "Spa" in its name is a winner with me! Why couldn't I have won Powerball? I would have been set and could have set up a GC fund so we could all have gone. http://home.indy.rr.com/edwinlee/wave2.gif

Would you be going as an advisor or as a visitor? It makes a HUGE difference in how relaxing of a trip you'll have.

I can go as either. Of course, it depends on the other advisors as well to see who goes. I just want to go so I'll go as anything!

If you go as an advisor you'll be expected to go to all the meetings and workshops. The meetings start at like 8:30 am. :yawn: My first convention, in Phoenix, I attended as a visitor. All my roommates were attending as advisors and Alumnae delegates. They may have resented that I slept till 9:30 and then floated around the pull till lunch time. :)

I cant wait. I was initiated in Fall 07 and I am so excited!!!!

At first thought, that sounds a little rough, but seeing how I am from Maryland, I'll be able to wake up at 7 and have it feel like sleeping till 10.

So here's what I'm coming up with as my best options. I really would not want to board with 3-4 other women. I just can't. It would be too crazy, I think. Also, I'd like the full time package so I can go to as many of the events as I'd like and the banquets/luncheons.

For me to have a room by myself, I would have to pay $1000.

If I wanted to room with one other person, the price is $700.

If I would like to share a room with 2 other women, then it drops to $600.

The full time registration packet would include:
* Welcome Banquet on Wednesday the 25th
* Foundation Luncheon on Thursday the 26th
* Confirmed Conventionite Celebration on Friday the 27th
* The Alumnae Reunion Luncheon on Saturday the 28th
* The Alumnae/Collegiate Achievement Banquet on Saturday the 28th.

Darn. This is harder than I thought it would be.

So, if I understand everything correctly, for full time, all I have to pay up front to Sigma Kappa is the full time package depending on single($1000), double($700), triple($600), or quad ($548). Then of course, the flight, and the extras, but those aren't paid to Sigma Kappa.

That is correct. That price includes your lodging, the events, and those specific meals at the banquets. Airfare, car rental (if you want one), food & extras are on you.

I'm going as my chapters second delegate! :)

Hey lady!
Though I see you mostly on LJ ... I thought I'd come over here and it occurred to me ... I REALLY want to go.

Damn ... I need to go dress shopping and such ... haha! I'm going to look into this more.

Bought my tickets and registered today... California, here I come! :)

Pardon the crash ladies, but AGD had their 06 convention here and the hotel and pool were gorgeous!

YAY! We can meet!

I'm so jealous! You all are going to have so much fun.

Are you staying at the hotel? When are you flying in? I'm so excited! I will be going but not as a delegate which means I can choose to go to whatever I want right?

I told Mike and his eyes bugged out but then he shrugged because he knows I would choke him if he tried to talk me out of it. The bad news is that it's on the last week of school for my kids so they will have a sub wish them godspeed in the 1st grade because I AM NOT MISSING CONVENTION!!!

Yeah, I'm staying at the hotel and flying in Wed. - I have to leave where I am at 6-something in the morning to get to Palm Springs at 1:30!! And we will definitely have to meet up and take some convention photos.

I need to buy some clothes! I don't have enough business/chapter attire for a whole week!

I have a dilemna. I can fly in on Wednesday (definitely with at least one lay over) and pray I get to Indian Wells on time, be jet lagged and tired for the rest of the day, or I can fly in on Tuesday night and be very well rested for the next day and pay for an extra hotel night stay, and I am guessing there are no cheap hotels in Palm Springs.

What time would you arrive on Wednesday?

I think we have to be there by 3pm pacific time, or something like that to use the ground transportation. In order to do that, I wouldn't take a chance on a flight later than 9am eastern time, which means that I need to be at the airport at 7am eastern, which means I have to leave my house at 5:30am eastern, which means I need to wake up at 4am eastern to "represent Sigma Kappa well while I travel". Basically, I would have had a 15 hour day upon arrival in Indian Wells, plus more stuff (possibly til 10 pm pacific)when I actually get there---22 straight hours. And we get our photo taken on the first day! Wow, I bet I would look FABULOUS after a day like that.

Of course, my situation is hardly unique so I probably shouldn't complain. Any West-Coasters dealt with this when Convention was in DC or other Eastern locales? Did you just come a day early?

When I went to convention in Ohio I left at 10:30 pm (Pacific) the night before. Landed in NC around 5:30 am (Atlantic). Then caught a 9 am flight (tiny, tiny plane), only about an hour flight, to Cincinatti airport, which is in KY. I want to say it was something like a 40 minute drive to the hotel. Then the full day of activities. Sleeping on the plane is the only solution. Plus it's best to keep in mind while HQ would love for all of us to travel in full pin attire looking extra polished, they really just don't want you to look like a scrub when you arrive. :)

eta: I just realized it's only a 2hr drive to Indian Wells. I could at least drive up for the day if anyone wants to have a GC-SK meet up. :)

Damn now I really want to go. My flights are practically free (my brother is a commercial airline pilot, I got it made babees!) and I never had an active experience because of my body breaking on me (again, not that most of my chapter understood that!).
I am already so stressed out and it's only March. I'm hoping I can talk my parents (the current bank as I'm not working. Check my disabled permit for more details) into financing a room, or a kind sister near the resort will put me up. I want to meet you ladies. I love you all so much.

Also Aquastar is my big sister, the best big ever, I might add. I'm so glad she's back on GC.
-Alex
(I'm still getting used to my name change. Turns out it's a family name so no one can say anything :) )

Thanks for the shout out little.


My life is so crazy right now ... but if I plan on going I better get my butt into gear huh?
damn

Speaking of back on GC...welcome back!!!!

I just booked my flight and I will be registering for Convention tomorrow! I am definitely going!!!!

I am registering on Friday. :) I'm so excited!

Convention
 

I'm going but it will be the most expensive I have attended so far. I've been to 5, last four staright. The real kicker is that for those of us on the east coast the airfare is quite pricey to fly into Palm Springs, add that to all the extra meals you will be responsible for, that's 8 if you don't leave at the crack of dawn on Sunday, and the additional cost of the room if you don't want to share, or are bringing someone else with you as I am, I have calculated it is going to cost me at least$1000-$1500 above my convention allowance!. I'm seriously considering driving from Ontatrio or Orange county airports because of the difference in costs and also the availability of flight times. Anyone have any information about how it would be to drive from the airports? But regardless of the costs I am looking forward to going!

I am flying out of Dulles into Palm Springs with 1 stop. It was just under $500 on travelocity. Are you from DC, as one could infer from your username?

No I'm not. I live in the West Palm Beach FL area. dc are my initials and the rest is Sigma Kappa Omega which of course was my college chapter and initiation year. I have found tickets from Ft Lauderdale for around $440, however my Mom lives in Tallahassee and flights from there range from $750-800, but the times in and out of Palms Springs are the killers. I'll work it out soon.lol

I'm grateful that I live so close to Convention. I live 15 minutes from the Ontario airport, 25 minutes from John Wayne airport, and 40 minutes away from Palm Springs. SWEET! :):D

(not that I'm rubbing it in any way b/c at next convention, I'll probably be amazingly far away)

So are you staying at the resort for the weekend? So your convention cost is a room, registration and meals and workshops etc.? If you don't mind me asking, make us all jealous and tell us what you get to pay.

And for those who've been in the past...I know that initiations happen at convention, has Order ever occurred?

I'll find out tomorrow my rooming situation because I'm talking it over with other alums in my area. I prefer to not spend $1000 so I can sleep alone but I don't mind sharing a room with women I know and can get along with. Once we talk, then I'll let you know. I wish you were coming though.

They did Order last time in Arlington. It was done as a combination Ritual and workshop so that Alumnae Chapters could hold their own in the future. We held our first one at our Founder's Day celebration this past year. We had 9 sisters who had never had the chance to participate before. It was great!